Harbour Catch Cottage, Weymouth

Harbour Catch Cottage sits on Helen Lane just off the old harbour in Weymouth, a compact whole-house rental in about the most central spot you could pick for a dog holiday on this stretch of the Dorset coast. There are no shared corridors and no lift, the quayside is at the end of the lane, the town is a few minutes the other way, and a dog-friendly beach is around the corner.

Up to two dogs are welcome, and dog owners rate the walkability above everything else. The streets around the harbour are lined with pubs and restaurants that take dogs, the seafront is an easy morning walk, and the cottage itself comes up as cosy, well equipped and comfortable, often with a welcome gift on arrival. There is a freezer compartment in the kitchen, which matters more than it sounds if you travel with frozen dog food.

Set expectations on space and cost. Outside is a small courtyard patio rather than a garden, so the exercise happens on the walks rather than at home, and the cottage is genuinely small: fine for a weekend or for a couple with dogs, tighter for a full week with a group. On the dog charge, guests have found the pet supplement billed as a full week even on a three-night stay, so ask how it is calculated before committing to a short break.

Parking is the recurring theme in feedback. There is no space at the property and the residents' permit covers a first-come zone a short walk away, which at weekends can mean circling for a spot and carrying bags round. The front bedroom also catches noise from the harbour pubs late and deliveries early, and the stairs are steep in the way old cottages are. Harbour Catch Cottage suits dog owners who want a characterful, central base within a few minutes' walk of the harbour, the town and a dog-friendly beach, and who travel light enough not to be caught out by the parking.